NRL Late Mail Round 1: Latest team news and Wacko’s Whispers

Keep up to date with late team changes and gossip heading into the first round of the 2021 NRL season.

Keep up to date with all the late mail for the opening round of the 2021 NRL season here:

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RAIDERS V TIGERS

Sunday 14 March, GIO Stadium, Canberra, 4.05pm (AEDT)

RAIDERS

1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2 Bailey Simonsson, 3 Sebastian Kris, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Jack Wighton, 7 George Williams, 8 Josh Papalii, 9 Josh Hodgson, 10 Dunamis Lui, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Joseph Tapine

Bench: 14. Saliva Havili 15. Ryan Sutton, 16. Sia Soliola, 17. Ryan James, 18. Sam Williams, 19. Tom Starling, 20. Emre Guler 21. Harley Smith-Shields

Reserves: 18. Sam Williams 21. Harley Smith-Shields

Players cut: 19. Tom Starling 20. Emre Guler

Late mail: The Raiders are 1-17, with Dunamis Lui holding onto the starting front row spot and Sia Soliola staying on the bench. Sebastian Kris was promoted to Top 30 on Tuesday and has had an outstanding pre-season and he will line up at left centre inside Jordan Rapana with co-captain Jarrod Croker set to return from a shoulder injury in coming weeks.

TIGERS

1 Daine Laurie, 2 David Nofoaluma, 3 James Roberts, 4 Joey Leilua, 5 Asu Kepaoa, 6 Moses Mbye, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 James Tamou, 9 Jacob Liddle, 10 Joe Ofahengaue, 11 Luke Garner, 12 Luciano Leilua, 13 Alex Twal

Bench: 14. Tommy Talau 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Stefano Utoikamanu 17. Russell Packer

Reserves: 18. Jock Madden 19. Michael Chee-Kam

Players cut: 20. Tukimihia Simpkins 21. Alex Seyfarth

Late mail: The Tigers are also 1-17 with Moses Mbye (hamstring) and Joey Leilua (foot) overcoming their injury woes. Tommy Talau’s role in the squad could be to give Jacob Liddle a break which could see Taalu play 5/8 with Mbye moving to hooker. Luke Brooks will kick goals in round one with Adam Doueihi missing due to suspension. Michael Chee-Kam is expected to be 18th man for the clash.

DRAGONS V SHARKS

Sunday 14 March, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney, 6.15pm (AEDT)

DRAGONS

1 Matt Dufty, 2 Cody Ramsey, 3 Jack Bird, 4 Zac Lomax, 5 Mikaele Ravalawa, 6 Adam Clune, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Blake Lawrie, 9 Andrew McCullough, 10 Paul Vaughan, 11 Josh Kerr, 12 Tariq Sims, 13 Tyrell Fuimaono

Bench: 14. Poasa Faamausili 15. Trent Merrin 16. Daniel Alvaro 17. Brayden Wiliame

Reserves: 18. Jackson Ford 19. Kaide Ellis

Players cut: 20. Jordan Pereira 21. Max Feagai

Late mail: The Dragons head into the round as the team most under pressure and the season hasn’t even started. Poasa Faamausili has progressed through the concussion protocols passing his fitness test at the start of week and will be fit to play. Josh Kerr has been named on edge after playing there in the Charity Shield but it won’t surprise me if he actually plays lock with Tyrell Fuimaono starting on the edge. Mikaele Ravalawa wins the wing position which will see him line up on the right outside Zac Lomax with Cody Ramsey switching to the left wing. Final call will be made at the captain’s run as to whether they run with Brayden Williame as a bench utility or someone like Jackson Ford or Kaide Ellis could come on to the bench if Griffin decides to run with a four forward bench.

SHARKS

1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Josh Dugan, 4 Jesse Ramien, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Braden Hamlin-Uele, 9 Blayke Brailey, 10 Aaron Woods, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Wade Graham, 13 Toby Rudolf

Bench: 14. Connor Tracey 15. Aiden Tolman 16. Jack Williams 17. Billy Magoulias

Reserves: 18. Mawene Hiroti 19. Teig Wilton

Players cut: 20. Andrew Fifita 21. Braydon Trindall

Late mail: The Sharks have both Aiden Tolman and Toby Rudolf in some doubt after they didn’t play in the trial due to hamstring issues. Rudolf trained with the squad earlier in the week with Tolman needing to pass a final fitness test. Andrew Fifita os on standby should Tolman fail to come up. Josh Dugan has recovered from the ankle injury which forced him from the field in the trial and trained with the squad during the week. Ronaldo Mulitalo lines up on the left wing outside Dugan with Matt Moylan and Wade Graham on their inside.